Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College will be offering a robust class schedule this fall, in both online and hybrid settings, it has been announced by DSLCC President Dr. John Rainone.
“The college is putting the health and safety of our community first,” he noted. “We are committed to a quality education that leads to seamless transfer and high-demand careers. And equally important, even in an online/remote modality, we offer wrap-around support for students including tutoring, advising, library serves and connection to state and national benefit programs for those in need.”
With some exceptions, fall classes normally held on the DSLCC main campus in Clifton Forge or the DSLCC Rockbridge Regional Center in Buena Vista will be offered in an online setting until it is safe to return to campus. This applies to most classes that do not have hands-on components/competency requirements.
Students interested in registering for fall courses should call (540) 863-2820 to schedule an appointment with an advisor.
Dr. Rainone outlined the following actions being taken by DSLCC for the fall semester:
- The current class schedule will remain in place and all classes will meet beginning on Monday, August 24 unless noted. Additional courses may be added to the schedule and begin in mid-September based on student demand.
- Students will enroll in courses that are “Zoom Online” to keep students connected to instructors and classmates and engaged in real-time discussion and learning. These sessions are delivered live via Zoom, at a set time, on specified days, and may switch to on-campus delivery, on the same schedule, when it is safe. “Online Anytime” classes give flexibility of learning, with no formal in-person or online meeting times.
- Classes that require face-to-face, hands-on experiences like welding, forestry, culinary, or clinicals, as well as classes offered through Workforce Solutions & Community Education, will be offered in a hybrid setting with required social distancing practices and appropriate protocols. In short, our goal is to offer as much as we can in online and hybrid settings, and offer the hands-on courses in a responsible way that prioritizes the health and safety of our community. The lecture portion of these courses will be completed virtually.
- All courses will have a robust, quality Canvas (learning management system) online presence to support our students.
- Beginning later this summer or in the early fall, the College plans to allow for some on campus computer lab use by students with no, or limited, internet access based on acceptable social distancing requirements. The College Library will also follow these same guidelines.
- All outside community events, activities, and meetings are cancelled through December 2020. Student activities will be delivered remotely via Canvas.
“As the health and safety of our campus community is our highest priority, we will continue to monitor the situation and keep our campus community informed,” said Dr. Rainone.
For more information, please visit the website at www.dslcc.edu.